Wonderful Tunes Provided By Friends. Wild Tangents Provided By Me.

Posts tagged ‘Henry Mancini’

Peter Falk passed away today at the age of 83. He suffered from Alzheimer Disease. He played many roles in his 50 year career but, of course, he is best known for his excellent work in one of my all time favorite TV shows “Columbo.” Here is the great theme song for the “NBC Mystery Movie” series which featured “Columbo.” The song was composed by Henry Mancini.

It’s really more movie and TV theme appreciation than cartoon theme appreciation but “Baby Elephant Walk” is still an awesome song. It was composed in 1961 by Henry Mancini for the movie “Hatari.”

Fellow jazz fan Euphoria Fish posted a funny on my Facebook wall which reminded me about guitarist Al Caiola who will be celebrating his 91st birthday this year. He worked with many of the greats during his long career and he scored solo hits with the theme from “The Magnificent Seven” and the theme from “Bonanza.” Al recorded this song on his 1962 album “His Golden Guitar & Manhattan Strings.”

We have had the goofiest spring weather on record here in my Beautiful State. Just this week we’ve gone from 90 degrees to 50 in the span of a few days. My walking schedule has been extremely erratic because sometimes it gets downright chilly out there! I’d like to get more exercise but I’m only human. I mean no one could possibly expect me to endure the monstrous inconvenience of donning a light wrap in the interest of physical fitness!

Writer/director Blake Edwards died of complications from pneumonia today. He was 88. His very impressive resume included “Breakfast At Tiffanys,” “10,” “Victor Victoria,” and of course all the fantastic Pink Panther movies. Here is the Henry Mancini theme song for the 1958 television series he created, “Peter Gunn.”

I don’t own any Nancy LaMott music but I plan to get some soon! She unfortunately contracted uterine cancer and died in 1995.

The song is “Two For The Road” and it was written in 1967 by Henry Mancini for the movie of the same title.The lyrics were written by Leslie Bricusse but they were never heard in the film. Of all his compositions, this was Mancini’s favorite.

To me this sounds like the perfect theme song for a travelogue. I personally wouldn’t use it for a family trip to the Dells or anything. But should Providence grant me a romantic getaway at some point in the future, the homemade DVD slide show I’ll be boring friends and family with nonstop for several months thereafter will at least have this lovely soundtrack. You’re welcome.